Demon bids for Punchestown gold

Racing Demon will try to get his season back on track when he faces the starter in the €250,000 (€370,000) Punchestown Guinness Gold Cup later this month.

Henrietta Knight’s charge has had a mixed campaign since winning the Peterborough Chase at Huntingdon in November and was fifth in the Ryanair Chase at Cheltenham on his latest start.

The Wantage trainer felt the seven-year-old did not enjoy going left-handed there and now plans to restrict him to right-handed tracks.

“The plan at the moment is to go for the Guinness Gold Cup if the ground remains OK. He’s come out of the Cheltenham race very well and the plan now is to keep him to right-handed tracks if possible,” said Knight.

“It’s been a very up and down season. He hasn’t really had a full season because he fell and ran loose on the first occasion and then ran a good race at Huntingdon (won the Grade Two Peterborough Chase) and in the King George (third) at Kempton.

“Then of course he had the fall over hurdles and he ran off right-handed a bit at Cheltenham.

“I think the jury’s still out regarding the trip but we can only find out by running him over it. I think he stayed three miles in the King George.”